Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has apologised after a joke about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong triggered the withdrawal of major Chinese sponsors, with reports that state television has also suspended broadcasts of Spanish La Liga matches.
The French international issued the apology on Tuesday after beverage company Dongpeng and other major Chinese brands severed ties with him over a viral video in which he appeared to refer to Mao as a Chinese dictator while discussing an internet meme featuring his face.
Mbappe, in an apology released in French, Chinese and English, admitted that his remark was ill-judged and acknowledged that it had hurt people in China and Chinese communities around the world.
“I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” he said.
The controversy has extended beyond the footballer’s commercial relationships, with state-run media outlet The Paper reporting that public television was suspending broadcasts of La Liga matches. The report points to the possibility of wider consequences for Spanish football’s visibility in the Chinese market.
Dongpeng, which featured AI-generated images of Mbappe drinking its sports beverage in advertisements during this year’s World Cup, announced that it was terminating all cooperation with the France captain.
The company said it maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards conduct it considered offensive to national sentiments.
The video at the centre of the dispute showed Mbappe describing an internet meme involving his face superimposed on the image of an unidentified man he believed to be a Chinese dictator. The remark appeared to refer to a meme depicting him alongside Mao, who led China until his death in 1976.
AFP Fact Check said it could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video.
Mao remains a highly sensitive figure in China, where public jokes about the founding leader can provoke strong reactions. Although his policies are also associated by historians with mass starvation and millions of deaths, his image retains a prominent place in the country’s official historical narrative.
La Liga has also apologised to Chinese supporters, expressing regret over the offence caused by Mbappe’s remarks.
The Spanish league stressed that the comments were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the organisation.
The episode highlights the commercial risks facing global sports stars whose endorsements and international appeal depend on markets with different political and cultural sensitivities. For Mbappe, the consequences have moved beyond an online controversy to the loss of major brand partnerships and possible disruption to the broadcast reach of the league in which he plays.
